7
B i o T O P i c s 4 2 _
B i o T O P R e p o r t 2 0 1 1
on myocardial, vascular and metabolic mechanisms of cardio-
vascular diseases with systematic consideration of lifestyle, age,
gender and ethnicity for more effective cardiovascular prevention.
Interventional and preventive cardiologists will work together
with surgeons, basic scientists and public health experts in an
interdisciplinary institute. Extramural partners include industrial,
healthcare and insurance companies. The DZHK will be financed
by 90 % from central governmental funds and by 10 % by regional
governmental funds.
News
November 2010
p
The Leibniz Institute for Molecular
Pharmacology (FMP) in Berlin
receives 3.7 million euros from the
European Union for a three-year
preparation phase of the EU-OPEN
SCREEN project.
p
Sofya Kovalevskaya Prize 2010 win-
ners in the field of biotechnology,
Dr. Dmitry Volodkin and Dr. Isabel
Bäurle establish research groups at
the Potsdam University.
p
Prof. Ulrike Stein of the MDC receives
Monika-Kutzner Prize for Cancer
Research
December 2010
p
Topping-out ceremony at the Bio-
medizintechnikum II at the Center
for Biomaterials in Teltow
January 2011
p
Prof. Andreas Radbruch of the
German Rheumatism Research
Center Berlin (DRFZ) receives
Advanced Grant of the European
Research Council (ERC) in the
amount of 2.5 million €.
p
Prof. Klaus Rajewsky receives
Advanced Grant of the Euro-
pean Research Council (ERC) in the
amount of 2.5 million € and estab-
lishes working group at the MDC
February 2011
p
ESGI project (the European Sequenc-
ing and Genotyping Infrastructure),
coordinated by the Max-Planck-
Institute for Molecular Genetics,
starts.
March 2011
p
Charité-scientist Andrea Ode of the
Julius Wolff Institute wins BIONNALE
Speed Lecture Award.
p
Prof. Oliver Daumke from the Max
Delbrück Center for Molecular
Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch receives
“Bayer Early Excellence in Science
Award 2010” for biology.
April 2011
p
Berlin research consortium becomes
part of the German Center for
Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)
p
Dr. Daniel Toben of Charité receives
Raisz-Drezner-Award of the Ameri-
can Society of Bone and Mineral
Research (ASBMR)
p
BioTOP and BCRT publish technology
report on Regenerative Medicine in
Berlin-Brandenburg
p
Prof. Jan Schwab of the Depart-
ment of Neurology at the Charité
and the Berlin-Brandenburg Center
for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT)
received the Novartis Award for
therapy relevant pharmacological
research.
Excellent Conditions for Research
»
When I felt the desire to return to Germany after an
extended stay in the USA, I looked for programmes
which would permit me to build up an independent work-
ing group at a German research institute. In particular the
Emmy Noether Programme of the German Research Founda-
tion (DFG) and the Kovalevskaja Programme of the Alexander
von Humboldt Foundation, which is funded by the German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research, finance proj-
ects of this kind. I applied successfully with the support of
Prof. Peter Hegemann and Humboldt-Universität as the host
institution and have now been in Berlin since summer 2010.
The city provides an outstanding environment for my field of
research: optogenetics.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Möglich
in the Institute of Biology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin will conduct
research in the German capital for the next five years as a winner of the Sofja
Kovalevskaja Award.
Federal Funding (BMBF) for R&D projects
… in research institutions
per capita funding (euro)
Berlin
61,78
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
38,84
Sachsen-Anhalt
30,15
Baden-Württemberg
27,71
Hamburg
26,37
Sachsen-Anhalt
25,33
Thüringen
22,7
Schleswig-Holstein
22,66
Saarland
20,06
Bremen
18,21
… in the life sciences at German universities
projects
mio euro
Charité - Universitätmedizin Berlin
168 92
University Freiburg
117 57,4
University Heidelberg
141 48,6
University Kiel
65 43,7
LMU München
132 43,6
University Leipzig
65 43,2
Figures for 2005-2009, source: ConsulTech GmbH, 2010
8
B i o T O P i c s 4 2 _
B i o T O P R e p o r t 2 0 1 1
A unique European infrastructure for
sequencing and genotyping
The Max Planck Society is also extremely active in Berlin-Branden-
burg. Its Max Planck Institutes for Molecular Genetics, Infection
Biology and Molecular Plant Physiology belong to the world’s
leading facilities in their respective fields.
In February 2011, a consortium of leading European research
establishments began to build a European infrastructure for
genome sequencing and genotyping. The project ESGI (European
Sequencing and Genotyping Infrastructure) is being coordinated
by the German Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics and
funded by the European Commission under the auspices of the
Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technologi-
cal Development. The participating institutions come from Aus-
tria, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Britain. The ESGI is to
enhance Europe’s position as a leading force in global genetics,
genome research and molecular biology. The ESGI infrastructure
will combine the efforts of leading European institutions in the
fields of biology and bioinformatics to ensure that the broader
research community can access genetic data and use the newest
analytical tools. The aim is to permit scientists from all disci-
plines to use state-of-the-art technologies to decode complex
gene functions at economic cost. Following the establishment of
the infrastructure scientists will be able to sequence a genome for
only app. 1,000 Euros.
Aaron Motsoaledi
Minister of Health of South Africa, at the World Health Summit 2010
Detlev Ganten
President of the World Health Summit
Winner of the BIONNALE Speed Lecture Award 2011: Andrea Ode from the
Julius Wolff Institute for Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Regeneration,
with Dr. Kai Bindseil, director of BioTOP
Charité as an Entrepreneur
»
The motto of the Charité is: “We bring the best medicine
to the hospital bed”. Continuous advances in science
and technology offer many opportunities for fundamen-
tal changes in patient therapy. At the Charité, where doc-
tors and scientists conduct research at the most advanced
international level, we want to accelerate the introduction
of the results of this research into patient care. This is why
we have set ourselves the strategic goal of becoming the
leading partner of the medical and pharmaceutical industry
in Germany. With cooperation partners like Sanofi-Aventis
or Novartis we are already implementing new concepts for
cooperation between research establishments and industry.
This new culture of exchange is in our mutual interest. Our
partnerships will speed up joint product development based
on our strong university hospital research.
Prof. Karl Max Einhäupl
Chairman of the Executive Board
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin